Google+ Badge

Thursday, May 14, 2015

Senior's Health: Can diet and exercise prevent muscle loss in old age? ♦ Living to 100: Lifestyle advice for would-be centenarians ♦ screened by telephone for dementia

Living to 100: Lifestyle advice for would-be centenarians For the past 50 years, researchers have followed the health of 855 men born in 1913. Now that the study is being wrapped up, it turns out that ten of the subjects lived to 100 and conclusions can be drawn about the secrets of their longevity.

The molecular structure of one of the proteins in the fine fibers of the brain plaques that are a hallmark of Alzheimer's disease, researchers have found. This molecule, called amyloid beta-42, is toxic to nerve cells and is believed to provoke the disease cascade

Can diet and exercise prevent muscle loss in old age? Between the ages of 40 and 80, an estimated 30 to 50 per cent of muscle mass is lost, resulting in lower strength and less ability to carry out everyday tasks. This process -- known as sarcopenia -- is common and clearly linked to frailty and poorer health in older people. Although some studies find diet can enhance the effects of exercise to prevent muscle loss in later life, current evidence about what works is inconsistent, new research shows.